Basic coding required. Skill-gap assessment, one Java/Python/MERN track, coding/SQL practice, a reviewed software project, testing/deployment, communication, soft skills, resume and six mock interviews.
What you will cover
Basic coding required. Skill-gap assessment
one Java/Python/MERN track
coding/SQL practice
a reviewed software project
testing/deployment
communication
soft skills
resume
six mock interviews
Topic list from the institute's programme record.
Certification
Certificate terms for this programme are confirmed by the institute at admission. Any ADIVAS course-completion certificate is an institute certificate; it is not a university degree, an externally accredited qualification or a vendor certification (such as AWS or Microsoft) unless the institute states so in writing.
Curriculum 0.1 · Draft: written for ADIVAS and awaiting academic review and approval. Topics and weeks may change before your batch starts.
Your skill trail
You move through 6 stations. Each week builds one skill you can show, not just a topic you have heard.
1
Skill gaps and track choice
Find your current level and choose one track with a plan for 12 weeks.
Week 1 Skill-gap assessment and goals
Week 2 Setting up the toolkit and Git
2
Coding practice
Build speed and accuracy on data structures and problem-solving in your track.
Week 3 Coding core: strings, arrays and loops
Week 4 Coding core: functions, recursion and collections
Week 5 Coding core: objects, sorting and searching
3
SQL for data questions
Use SQL confidently to read and summarise data.
Week 6 SQL: queries, joins and aggregates
4
Project, testing and deployment
Build, test, review and deploy a software project.
Week 7 Project: plan, design and build
Week 8 Testing, code review and deployment
5
Aptitude, resume and communication
Prepare the non-coding parts of the hiring process.
Week 9 Aptitude: numbers and reasoning
Week 10 Resume, profile and communication
6
Mock interviews
Practise full interviews and improve from feedback.
Week 11 Mock interviews 1-3
Week 12 Mock interviews 4-6 and next steps
★
Fee Tracker for a Small Coaching Centre
Your project, reviewed by a trainer.
The ADIVAS mastery ladder: how each skill is recognised
Explored You have seen the idea and tried a first example.
Practising You can do it with hints and keep improving.
Proficient You complete the weekly practical task correctly on your own.
Proven You apply it in a project reviewed by your trainer.
Skill-level tracking is being added to the learner workspace. Your trainer already reviews weekly practical work.
What you will be able to do
Map your own skills against entry-level software role requirements and plan the gaps to close.
Solve beginner-to-intermediate coding problems in one chosen track (Java, Python or MERN) using clear logic and tests.
Write SQL queries with filters, joins and aggregation to answer business questions.
Build, test and deploy a small software project with version control and a reviewed code base.
Solve common aptitude and logical-reasoning questions accurately within time limits.
Write a clear one-page resume and a professional profile that match a target role.
Communicate clearly in interviews, group discussions and workplace messages.
Explain your own project and coding choices in six structured mock interviews and act on feedback.
Who it suits
School Senior school students who already write simple programs and want a clear picture of what software jobs require.
College Final-year students and recent graduates who know basic coding and want a structured push toward entry-level software interviews.
Professional Career changers and professionals returning to work who know basic programming and need interview practice and a portfolio project.
Prerequisites: Basic coding: variables, conditions, loops and functions in at least one of Java, Python or JavaScript. Comfort typing and using a computer; a skill-gap assessment in week 1 decides your track. Tools: VS Code or an IDE for the chosen track (Java: IntelliJ or Eclipse; Python: VS Code; MERN: VS Code and Node.js), Git and a free GitHub account, SQLite or PostgreSQL with a SQL client, A browser and a free hosting option for deployment, Word processor for the resume, Screen and audio recording for mock interviews.
Weekly plan
Skill gaps and track choice Weeks 1–2
Week 1: Skill-gap assessment and goals
Theory
Typical entry-level software roles and what they test
Diagnostic: coding, SQL, aptitude and communication
Choosing one track: Java, Python or MERN
Lab
Take a three-part diagnostic (two coding problems, a ten-query SQL set and a short aptitude test) and record scores, time taken and mistakes.
Homework
Write a one-page gap plan listing three strengths, three gaps and hours per week you can commit.
Deliverable
A signed gap plan and track choice.
Weekly checkpoint
Trainer review of the diagnostic result and plan.
You will be able to
Map your own skills against entry-level software role requirements and plan the gaps to close. Solve beginner-to-intermediate coding problems in one chosen track (Java, Python or MERN) using clear logic and tests.
Week 2: Setting up the toolkit and Git
Theory
Editor, runtime and project layout for your track
Git basics: init, add, commit, branch, push
Reading error messages and debugging method
Lab
Create a GitHub repository, commit a small program in three steps, create a branch, fix a deliberate bug using the error message and merge it.
Homework
Commit one practice solution per day for three days with clear commit messages.
Deliverable
A GitHub repository with at least six meaningful commits.
Weekly checkpoint
Practical: clone, branch, fix and merge a supplied broken program.
You will be able to
Map your own skills against entry-level software role requirements and plan the gaps to close. Solve beginner-to-intermediate coding problems in one chosen track (Java, Python or MERN) using clear logic and tests.
Coding practice Weeks 3–5
Week 3: Coding core: strings, arrays and loops
Theory
Arrays/lists and string handling in your track
Two-pointer and counting patterns
Time taken by a loop: simple Big-O idea
Lab
Solve eight problems: reverse words, count vowels, find the second largest, remove duplicates, check palindromes, merge two sorted lists, rotate an array and find a missing number; write three test cases for each.
Homework
Re-solve two problems in a different way and compare the loop counts.
Deliverable
A solutions file with comments and test cases.
Weekly checkpoint
Timed round: three problems in 45 minutes.
You will be able to
Solve beginner-to-intermediate coding problems in one chosen track (Java, Python or MERN) using clear logic and tests.
Week 4: Coding core: functions, recursion and collections
Theory
Functions, parameters and returned values
Recursion with base case (factorial, Fibonacci, sum of digits)
Maps/dictionaries and sets for lookups
Lab
Solve six problems: word frequency with a map, first non-repeating character, two-sum using a map, anagram check, power of a number by recursion and balanced brackets.
Homework
Explain aloud how each solution works, recording one 3-minute explanation.
Deliverable
A repository folder of solutions with a README table of problem, approach and complexity.
Weekly checkpoint
Code reading: predict the output of four short programs.
You will be able to
Solve beginner-to-intermediate coding problems in one chosen track (Java, Python or MERN) using clear logic and tests.
Week 5: Coding core: objects, sorting and searching
Theory
Classes and objects (or components and modules in MERN)
Sorting: bubble, selection, built-in sort and key functions
Binary search and when it applies
Lab
Implement a Student class (or component) with validation; sort a list of students by marks then name; implement binary search and test with sorted and unsorted data.
Homework
Write down why binary search fails on unsorted data and test the claim.
Deliverable
A small class-based program with tests.
Weekly checkpoint
Timed round: two problems plus one debugging problem.
You will be able to
Solve beginner-to-intermediate coding problems in one chosen track (Java, Python or MERN) using clear logic and tests.
SQL for data questions Weeks 6
Week 6: SQL: queries, joins and aggregates
Theory
SELECT, WHERE, ORDER BY, LIMIT
INNER and LEFT JOIN across two tables
GROUP BY, HAVING, COUNT, SUM and AVG
Lab
Load a small shop database (customers, orders, products) and write fifteen queries including: top five customers by spend, products never ordered, monthly revenue and orders above the average.
Homework
Write five more interview-style SQL questions with answers for a classmate.
Deliverable
A SQL file with fifteen commented queries and sample outputs.
Weekly checkpoint
SQL quiz: read a schema and write six queries in 40 minutes.
You will be able to
Write SQL queries with filters, joins and aggregation to answer business questions.
Project, testing and deployment Weeks 7–8
Week 7: Project: plan, design and build
Theory
Choosing a small problem worth solving
User stories, simple data model and API/function list
Building in small commits
Lab
Define your project (for example a fee tracker, a library lending app or an expense tracker), draw a data model, list five user stories and build the first working feature.
Homework
Complete the second feature and push to GitHub with a feature branch.
Deliverable
Project plan, data model sketch and first working feature in the repository.
Weekly checkpoint
Design review with a trainer: five questions about your choices.
You will be able to
Build, test and deploy a small software project with version control and a reviewed code base.
Week 8: Testing, code review and deployment
Theory
Unit tests and test cases from edge conditions
Code review checklist and refactoring
Deploying a small app or publishing it with a README
Lab
Write at least eight unit tests, fix two defects they reveal, submit a pull request for a peer review, apply the review comments and deploy the project or publish a runnable release.
Homework
Write a README with setup steps, screenshots and what you would improve.
Deliverable
A tested, reviewed and deployed (or runnable) project with a README.
Weekly checkpoint
Live demo to a reviewer and answers to questions on testing choices.
You will be able to
Build, test and deploy a small software project with version control and a reviewed code base.
Aptitude, resume and communication Weeks 9–10
Week 9: Aptitude: numbers and reasoning
Theory
Percentages, ratios, averages, time and work
Number series, coding-decoding and seating logic
Speed techniques and checking answers
Lab
Complete two timed sets of twenty questions each, review every mistake by category and note the shortcut you missed.
Homework
Practise ten questions daily for five days and log accuracy.
Deliverable
A mistake log with categories and improvement targets.
Weekly checkpoint
Timed aptitude test of 30 questions.
You will be able to
Solve common aptitude and logical-reasoning questions accurately within time limits. Write a clear one-page resume and a professional profile that match a target role. Communicate clearly in interviews, group discussions and workplace messages.
Week 10: Resume, profile and communication
Theory
One-page resume: format, achievements and keywords for a role
GitHub and LinkedIn profile hygiene
Email, short self-introduction and group-discussion basics
Lab
Write your resume and a 60-second self-introduction, peer-review each other's resume and rewrite weak bullet points using action, task and result.
Homework
Record a 60-second introduction and note filler words.
Deliverable
A one-page resume PDF and a recorded introduction.
Weekly checkpoint
Resume review against a checklist and a group discussion round.
You will be able to
Solve common aptitude and logical-reasoning questions accurately within time limits. Write a clear one-page resume and a professional profile that match a target role. Communicate clearly in interviews, group discussions and workplace messages.
Complete three mock interviews (coding, SQL plus project, and HR) with different reviewers using a standard feedback form.
Homework
Write a three-point improvement plan after each mock.
Deliverable
Three completed feedback forms and an improvement plan.
Weekly checkpoint
Rubric scores from the three mock interviews.
You will be able to
Communicate clearly in interviews, group discussions and workplace messages. Explain your own project and coding choices in six structured mock interviews and act on feedback.
Week 12: Mock interviews 4-6 and next steps
Theory
Mixed interview: coding, SQL and communication
Negotiating with respect, reading an offer and asking questions
A 30-day job-search routine
Lab
Complete three more mock interviews, including one full-length mixed round, then update the resume and portfolio based on the feedback.
Homework
Plan your next 30 days: applications per week, practice hours and topics.
Deliverable
Updated resume, portfolio link and a 30-day plan.
Weekly checkpoint
Final scores across all six mocks compared with the week-1 diagnostic.
You will be able to
Communicate clearly in interviews, group discussions and workplace messages. Explain your own project and coding choices in six structured mock interviews and act on feedback.
Sample lessons
Week 3
Solving a coding problem with a method
Interviews test how you think as much as the final code. A reliable method is to restate the problem, work through a small example by hand, choose a simple approach first, write the code, then test it with normal, edge and wrong inputs. After that you improve the approach if time allows and explain the time taken in terms of how the loop grows with the input size. Speaking your steps aloud makes it easy for an interviewer to follow and to help.
1Restate and ask questions
2Work a small example
3Plan in two lines
4Write the code
5Test normal, edge, wrong
6Explain the complexity
Step by step
Restate the problem in your own words and ask about input limits and empty input.
Work an example by hand, for example the second largest in [4, 9, 2, 9, 7].
Describe the plan in two sentences before writing any code.
Write the code, keeping names clear and the loop simple.
Test normal, edge (one element, all equal) and wrong inputs, and fix issues.
State the time taken, such as one pass through the list.
In real life
A small business app must report the second highest sale of the day. The developer must handle days with one sale or ties before deploying it, which is exactly what the method checks.
Worked example
Problem. Find the second largest distinct value in [4, 9, 2, 9, 7].
Solution. Track the largest and second largest while looping once. After 4: (4, none). After 9: (9, 4). After 2: unchanged. The second 9 is skipped because it equals the largest. After 7: (9, 7). Answer: 7. Edge case: if there is no second distinct value, return a clear message.
Common mistakes
Writing code before understanding an example, then patching it repeatedly.
Ignoring ties and one-element lists, which the interviewer will ask about.
Coding silently so the interviewer cannot see your thinking.
Try it yourself
Apply the six steps to find the smallest missing positive number in a short list.
List five edge cases for a function that reverses the words in a sentence.
Week 6
JOIN and GROUP BY to answer a business question
Business data lives in several tables that are linked by keys. A JOIN combines rows from two tables where the keys match, so you can see a customer name next to an order. GROUP BY then collapses rows into groups so you can total or count them. Together they answer questions such as which customers spent the most. Always check how many rows you expect before and after a join, because a wrong key creates duplicate rows and inflated totals.
Table
Key column
Meaning
customers
id
one row per customer
orders
customer_id
which customer placed the order
JOIN result
id = customer_id
order rows with names
GROUP BY result
name
one row per customer with total
Step by step
List the tables and the key that links them (customers.id and orders.customer_id).
Write a JOIN that shows each order with the customer name.
Add GROUP BY customer name with SUM(order amount).
Use ORDER BY the total descending and LIMIT 5.
Check the result against a manual total for one customer.
In real life
The owner of a store wants to know the five biggest customers this month to plan an offer; the analyst answers it with one join and one grouped query.
Worked example
Problem. Tables: customers(id, name) and orders(id, customer_id, amount). Write a query for each customer's total spend, highest first.
Solution. SELECT c.name, SUM(o.amount) AS total FROM customers c JOIN orders o ON o.customer_id = c.id GROUP BY c.name ORDER BY total DESC; Use LEFT JOIN instead if customers with no orders should appear with a total of NULL or 0.
Common mistakes
Forgetting the ON condition, which produces every combination of rows.
Selecting a column that is not in GROUP BY or an aggregate.
Using INNER JOIN when you also need customers with no orders.
Try it yourself
Find products that were never ordered using a LEFT JOIN and a NULL check.
Write a query for monthly revenue and say how you would verify it.
Try the questions
The same skills are asked at three levels: School (Classes 6–12), College and Professional. Switch the level and the language (English or Tamil), and say how sure you are before you check: knowing what you are unsure about is part of learning.
Classes 6–12: everyday examples, no prior knowledge. Practice only. Nothing here is graded or saved.
Question 1 / 4 · Understand a loop counter
A program adds the numbers 1 to 5 one by one. What is it using?
Projects
Fee Tracker for a Small Coaching Centre
A small coaching centre in Madurai records student fees in notebooks. Build a small, tested software application in your chosen track (Java, Python or MERN) that stores students and payments, shows pending fees and can be run by another person from your README.
Tasks
Design a data model with students, courses and payments and write the SQL or schema.
Implement adding students, recording a payment and listing pending fees with a total.
Write at least eight unit tests covering normal and edge cases such as overpayment and an unknown student.
Submit a pull request and apply at least three review comments.
Deploy or publish the project and write a README with setup steps and screenshots.
Sample input
Student Meena, course Python, fee 12000; payments 5000 and 3000
Expected output
Meena pending fee shows 4000; list shows total pending for all students; tests pass and reject a payment above the pending amount.
How it is assessed
Criterion
Weight
Working features
25%
Tests and edge cases
20%
Code quality and review response
20%
Data model and SQL
15%
README and deployment
10%
Explanation in demo
10%
Stretch challenge: Add a monthly collection report using SQL aggregation and a simple export to CSV.
How you are assessed
Each week: a timed problem set matched to the week (coding, SQL or aptitude), one code-reading or debugging question, a short speaking task and a mistake log. Marks are recorded against the outcomes.
Practical work. Coding and SQL are assessed on solutions run against hidden test cases, the project through a code review and live demo, and communication through six structured mock interviews with a common feedback form.
What trainers look for
Weight
Correct, tested solutions
30%
Problem-solving method and explanation
20%
Project quality, testing and review response
20%
Aptitude accuracy and speed
10%
Resume and communication
20%
Where this can lead
Prepares you for entry-level software developer, trainee engineer and junior QA interviews.
Builds a portfolio project, a resume and interview practice; results depend on your effort and the job market and no job is promised.
These describe skills you will build. ADIVAS does not guarantee jobs, placement or salary.
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